We Knew Each Other Once
by Firerose1300
Summary: Watching someone you love die after someone they love dies is painful. "I'm Yanagi Rengi, we knew each other once." Character death Yanagi/Sanada/Yukimura


We Knew Each Other Once

Yanagi felt bad for Sanada, he watched the bigger man fall to pieces after everyone had finally left. Sanada fell to his knees in front of the grave and sobbed. No one had known how deep Sanada's attraction and loyalty to Yukimura ran, except Yanagi. Yanagi knew everything he had know Yukimura and Sanada were dating he had known every fight, every kiss, and every time they had sex. Being the data master he could read it in their faces but his other talent was not being noticed, sometimes he'd follow people around for hours waiting for them to realize he was there but, they don't sense him, that was a lonely way to be but Yanagi knew right now, Sanada was lonelier.

Yukimura had been bad at then end, he'd randomly just forget things, people, places, tennis. That one had to be the worst. When he forgot all about nationals and how they fought, even though they lost. It had been an amazing battle and they had all had enlightened spirits afterwards, it was almost like winning. When Yukimura began forgetting those things, it became apparent to Yanagi that, Sanada was going to suffer. He remembered on occasion after Yukimura had forgotten everything, he overheard Sanada trying to help, trying to bring his lover, their captain back to them:

"_Who am I?"_

"_Yukimura Seiichi."_

"_Ok, so then, who are you?"_

"_Sanada Genchirou, we knew each other once." _

That day, the light in Sanada's eyes began to fade. The day it went out was the day Yukimura died. All the passion and potential that Sanada had was extinguished in a second, like a candle doused in water. It hurt Yanagi, he had hoped even though he could never dream to replace Yukimura that he might be a suitable alternative to the dead boy. Sanada wouldn't see anyone, he didn't leave his apartment, Yanagi wondered what he did in there. To keep his friend, and secret love from dying Yanagi would make sure food was made and he hoped Sanada ate it.

After almost a year of seclusion Sanada came out of his apartment. He wasn't the same person. He was thin as a stick. His face held a gaunt, doleful expression. He was as pale as the whitest snow and lively as a cemetery. All the muscle Sanada had worked so hard to gain from all the years of tennis was gone, he was a broken man. Because of his weak state Sanada took ill very easily and ended up in the hospital several times. Yanagi moved in with him to help his friend become well once again. Each day he cared for Sanada he felt his own body become weak with all the effort. Days began to run together, and time began to speed by. On a rare day when Yagyuu had time to visit, he remarked on Yanagi's own weight loss and paleness. Between forcing Sanada to eat and bathe and live, Yanagi forgot about himself.

Letting Kirihara and Niou take care of Sanada ,while Yagyuu forced Yanagi to eat and take care of himself, was an awful idea. It almost took Sanada's life. He ended up in the hospital, with a concussion and amnesia. Yanagi went to visit him and the conversation they had made him want to run away an be sick. He knew that fate was laughing at him as it made him live the pain Sanada felt, with Yukimura.

"_Who an I?"_

"_You're Sanada Genchirou?"_

"_Ok, so then, who are you?"_

"_I'm Yanagi Renji, we knew each other once." _

As Yanagi gazed down into the dark water of the river, he wondered. What had Sanada felt as he stood here? What had Yukimura felt when he faced death? Taking a breath he closed his eyes, in the back of his mind he prayed that this would be the end, for all of them.

**A/N:** I'm just producing stories tonight. This was kinda sadder than I thought it was going to turn out. I only meant to kill Sanada and Yukimura but in the end thought it was just best to take the whole trokia down. I hope you liked it and I'd love feedback one this one, particularly on the ending. I thought it was kinda weak.


End file.
